Cerulean - Fred Weasley

Chapter 16 - Winter Break

"Oh darling! please believe me! I'll never doooo you no hArm" 

Was this a dream? No. Back to sleep. 

"Believe me when I tell yOU I'll never do you no harmmmmmm"

Something was tickling Simone's neck. Her eyelids fluttered open to see yellow velvet. Oh no. There was a sinking feeling in her stomach. She shifted onto her side carefully. Shit. Cedric was splayed on his stomach, his blond head rising and falling with every snore. The thick Hufflepuff drapes barely covered his bottom half. 

Okay, she thought. Lets do a scan of what we know. 

- the drapes were closed tightly in what was obviously a Hufflepuff dormitory 

- someone was singing a Beatles song in a thick cockney accent

- according to her watch it was 7:11 AM

- she was in a boys bed

- she had no clothing

Taking a deep breath, she ripped the sheet off of Cedric leaving him bare, and tied it around herself. She carefully peeked her head through the curtains. As far as she could tell, everyone was still asleep. The singing was coming from the bathroom. Spotting her dress in a heap on the other side of the bed, she climbed out and snatched it. 

She slipped into it, adding one of Cedric's sweaters on top for good measure. 

She stopped at his bed, running her fingers through his hair and kissing him gently on the forehead. 

"You're forgetting something," Her hand had been on the door knob. She turned around sharply. 

"You might need shoes" said Trevor Prewett, leaning against the four-poster bed. Trevor was a nice sort of guy, with dark brown hair and a smatter of freckles, always quick with a joke and late to class. 

"Err, I didn't fancy walking back in heels," she replied awkwardly. The only encounters shed ever had with Trevor was from buying cigarettes during exam season. 

'Here," he bent over, rummaging beneath his bed, before retrieving a pair of slippers and passing them to her. "they're charmed to fit any foot,"

"Gee, thanks Trevor" she replied, slipping them onto her feet. She was taken aback at his kindness. "I'll give them back to you tomorrow."

He nodded, lighting a cigarette. "Want one?" 

"Sure," he lit another one, passing it. Simone sucked in, exhaling with a sigh. She opened the dormitory door and turned around once more. "Nice singing voice." 

He nodded. 

Much to her relief, the Hufflepuff common room was deserted. It was very beautiful in the morning, all light wood and plants. She didn't have much time to enjoy it as she was dead set on getting back to the Gryffindor common room without people knowing she was even missing.  The walk back was stressful to say the least. The nature of her walk was clear from her jumble of clothing, and she did not escape snickers from passing Slytherins. But for the most part, she reached the common room unscathed. She crept up the staircase and collapsed onto her comfortable blue bed with a sigh. 

After two hours of uninterrupted slumber Simone stumbled down to the great hall still wearing Cedric's sweater and a pair of pyjama pants. Ruth and Sophie were there already, heads ducked between a copy of the daily prophet. 

"Morning" Simone greeted. 

"Simone!" Ruth replied, eyes still glued to the paper. "Didn't see much of you last night" 

She sat down and began buttering toast. "yeah, the champion stuff kept me busy,"

"Oi" she felt a hand grab her shoulder and felt her stomach slacken. Shit. she turned around to see George grinning at her. Fuck. What had she done with Fred? her face burned as he sat down next to her and began eating a croissant.

"What are you doing here?" Sophie addressed George. 

"no one goods up in Gryffindor yet. Besides, I have much to discuss with Simone here" 

"As do we," smirked Ruth. "when did you get back last night? I didn't hear you come in." 

"Yeah, you and Diggory seemed to be having fun," added George. 

At that moment she saw Fred enter the hall and beeline towards his twin. Fuck fuck fuck 

"Who's sweater is that" Sophie questioned. 

"No," George grinned. "Don't tell me... " 

"How was the Hufflepuff dorm, Simone?" 

"What are we talking about?" Fred plopped down next to his twin. His hair was messier than usual and their were large bags under his eyes.  

"Simone's midnight exploration of the Hufflepuff dormitory" 

He turned and made eye contact. Freds ears reddened. "I see" 

Merlin, she needed a cigarette. Where was Prewett? "I've got to go," she declared, standing abruptly. 

She could feels eyes burning into the back of her but she didn't look back. 

The wind was cold and the snow was deep and Simone bundled her sweater closer around her. she followed the fresh sets of foot prints to the green house. The Hufflepuffs were gathered in their usual corner by the more harmless plants. There was around 5 of them, mostly seventh years Simone vaguely knew, and someone had conjured a fire which made merry bits of light dance across the room. It was very cosy. 

Simone went straight up to Felix, who was at the centre, and bluntly asked for a pack of fags. He nodded the affirmative, she handed him 6 sickles and he handed her a pack of Marlboros. 

Exiting the green house, she set back to the castle aimlessly. Despite her mind being rife with worries, she became entranced by the beauty of Hogwarts. The miles upon miles of undisturbed snow and quiet. Stopping by the quidditch pitch, she slumped herself against the Gryffindor changing room door. Snow made its way into her boots and through her coat but she lay back in it anyways, savouring the stinging feeling. She sat up slightly to pull our a cigarette from the pack and to light the back with her wand. She exhaled, watching the wind blow the smoke forward. Muggles may be wrong about many things, but they certainly understand how to create pleasure without magic, she thought to herself. Simone wondered whether the Hufflepuffs indulged in other stronger muggle substances. Indeed, she had only tried weed once at a party in London that summer and it was like nothing she'd ever experienced before. She'd never heard wizards mention it either... she wondered what Fred and George would think of this idea. Dangerous, yes, but no worse than Hufflepuffs selling fags... 

Fred. Oh Merlin, she had fucked up badly. Why on earth had she kissed him? No, she thought to herself, he kissed her. He saw her vulnerable and kind of tipsy and totally took advantage. Yes, she thought, swallowing down all excess doubt. This was his fault. he was drunk, it was a mistake, what we need to do is move on from it and never mention it again. Ever. 

She took another drag, savouring the buzz of nicotine. She was starting to hear children pouring out the grand entrance, probably to sled or throw snowballs. She would need to get up soon, but for now, she laid back and enjoyed the beauty of Hogwarts.